As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

• Matthew 20:29-34

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

• Mark 10:46-52

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

• Luke 18:35-43

This quiz is possibly one of my hardest.  I was thinking how I had not written a quiz about Jesus’ miracles.  But then, the three stories, or one story told three different ways, came to mind.  I have read in many people’s commentaries how eyewitness accounts are suspect if some little details are not a little different.  If everything is exactly the same, it seems that the eyewitnesses got together and colluded to agree on what they saw, although some may not have really seen it quite that way.

Those that argue that the Bible has flaws point to this story.  Was there one or two blind men?  But Lee Strobel mentioned this story as one that convinced him that the Bible was reliable, Lee Strobel having once been an investigative reporter.  There were probably two blind men in the crowd, calling Jesus “Son of David” (that name the same in all three stories), but only Matthew had a clear view of two people.  Mark and Luke both mention one person. But Mark mentions the name, Bartimaeus.  Since in all three accounts the blind man (or men) follow Jesus, could it be that John Mark, or Peter as the person dictating the story, struck up a friendship with the formerly blind Bartimaeus?

Subtle differences in the text means that the eyewitness accounts were what those eyewitnesses saw.  And in these stories, there were others around.  The eyewitness’ field of vision could have been obscured.  In some cases, entire portions of the story might have been dropped for one reason or another.

In the questions, there are subheadings with the questions that follow pertaining to that miracle. There is only one question really.  Which gospel account is unique regarding this one detail?

As I mentioned, these questions may be the hardest ever on one of these quizzes.  I will not have a Bible Reference section.

The Questions:

Feeding of the 5,000

Which gospel, according to the NIV, clarifies the rough count of 5,000 men by saying “besides women and children”?

Which gospel mentions the odd detail that the people sat down in groups of 100s and 50s?

Which gospel identifies the five loaves as barley loaves?

Which gospel identifies Philip as being the disciple Jesus asks, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”

Raising of Jairus’ Daughter from the Dead

Which gospel does not mention the name “Jairus,” only calling him a ruler, instead of a ruler of the synagogue?  This is also the version of the story where “the ruler” asks that although his daughter is dead, could Jesus come to lay His hands on her.

Which gospel also quotes Jairus, but in this version of his plea, he says the daughter is dying?

Which gospel does not mention that the daughter is twelve years old, the same length of time as the woman with the issue of blood had been bleeding?

Walking on Water

Which gospel talks about Peter walking out to meet Jesus and then sinking?

Which gospel speaks on the disciples rowing three to three and a half miles?

Which gospel added a theological point, in that the reason why disciples were afraid and shocked by Jesus’ walking on water was that they had not understood the miracle of the loaves?

This was hard to write.

At one point, I thought, “Maybe I have bitten off more than I can chew.”  But then, I heard encouragement somewhere between my ears, “Don’t give up.  If no one learns anything from taking the quiz, you have learned by researching it.”

The miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 men is in all four gospels.  The other miracles above were in three gospels each, but not always the same ones.  Oddly, none of the questions have the answer “Luke.”  Matthew and John were there for these miracles.  John Mark, as many think, was taking dictation from Peter.  Luke says that he spoke with eyewitnesses.  As a result, the details in the Luke Gospel are mentioned in either Matthew or Mark, thus not specifically unique to Luke.  The Luke account is unique in that it is not a total repeat of one of the other accounts.  And of course, there are other miracles, six according to my study Bible, that only appear in Luke.

Why was this difficult to write?  I researched the stories and wrote down details.  I then found details that I thought were unique to that story, only to find my note taking was sloppy and that detail was in another of the gospels.

Note: For two of these miracles, two of the unique details belong to the same gospel.

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The Answers:

Feeding of the 5,000

Which gospel, according to the NIV, clarifies the rough count of 5,000 men by saying “besides women and children”?

Answer: Matthew 14:21

Which gospel mentions the odd detail that the people sat down in groups of 100s and 50s?

Answer: Mark 6:40

Which gospel identifies the five loaves as barley loaves?

Answer: John 6:9

Which gospel identifies Philip as being the disciple Jesus asks, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”

Answer: John 6:5

Raising of Jairus’ Daughter from the Dead

Which gospel does not mention the name “Jairus,” only calling him a ruler, instead of a ruler of the synagogue?  This is also the version of the story where “the ruler” asks that although his daughter is dead, could Jesus come to lay His hands on her.

Answer: Matthew 9:18-19, 23-25

Which gospel also quotes Jairus, but in this version of his plea, he says the daughter is dying?

Answer: Mark 5:23

Which gospel does not mention that the daughter is twelve years old, the same length of time as the woman with the issue of blood had been bleeding?

Answer: Matthew 9:18-19, 23-25

Walking on Water

Which gospel talks about Peter walking out to meet Jesus and then sinking?

Answer: Matthew 14:28-31

Which gospel speaks on the disciples rowing three to three and a half miles?

Answer: John 6:19

Which gospel added a theological point, in that the reason why disciples were afraid and shocked by Jesus’ walking on water was that they had not understood the miracle of the loaves?

Answer: Mark 6:52

None of the differences change the story about the deity of Jesus.  The stories each show His power and His love.  And as the investigative experts state, the variations in the stories show true eyewitness accounts.

Whether you did well on this quiz or, not so well, here is Miracles Hymn sung by Susan Boyle.

And here is I Believe in Miracles, sung by George Beverley Shea.  I went to a Presbyterian conference in Montreat, NC along with our church youth group soon after I graduated high school.  When we arrived, the conference leaders said that we had a special, unscheduled treat.  George Beverley Shea was visiting Billy Graham at his home nearby, and he had agreed to provide a concert.  The recordings and the television appearances were powerful, but to hear his voice live?  It seemed to shake the rafters.  I guess that was one example of why I believe in miracles.

And here is What Miracle! What Mystery! , a video created by Christopher Ma.

And here is He Still Does (Miracles) sung Hawk Nelson.

If you like these Saturday morning Bible quizzes, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Saturday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.